The Town FilesMonticello, Illinois
City in Piatt County · population 5,941 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,500
- Household income
- $99,449
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 43.8
Monticello is a city of 5,941 people in Piatt County, Illinois. The median home is worth $210,500, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Illinois towns, hipper than 90% of Illinois towns, better for families than 82% of Illinois towns.
How Monticello ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Monticello is worth $210,500, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $99,449, which is more affordable than 55% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,379 a month. 82.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monticello | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,379 | $960 |
| Median household income | $99,449 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.7% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Monticello
| People | Monticello | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Monticello
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.4°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monticello since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 20, 1976 about 9.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 19 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 26, 2000.
Severe weather in Piatt County since 1996
Piatt County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Piatt County
Piatt County had 3,707 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,937 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Monticello itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Monticello
3 public schools with 1,418 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington School | PK-3 | 558 | 14.0 |
| Monticello High School | 9-12 | 479 | 13.7 |
| Monticello Middle School | 6-8 | 381 | 14.1 |
Towns near Monticello
- Mahomet, IL14.6 mi · 9,434 people · home $299,100
- Tolono, IL16.7 mi · 3,604 people · home $208,600
- Champaign, IL16.8 mi · 88,302 people · home $210,900
- Savoy, IL17.0 mi · 8,857 people · home $320,300
- Urbana, IL20.6 mi · 38,336 people · home $184,900
- Forsyth, IL21.9 mi · 3,734 people · home $281,000
- Clinton, IL22.0 mi · 7,004 people · home $102,800
- Decatur, IL22.7 mi · 70,522 people · home $99,600
Monticello questions
Is Monticello, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monticello scores better for retirees than 99% of Illinois towns and quieter than 75%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Monticello?
The median owner-occupied home in Monticello is valued at $210,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,449, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,379 a month.
What is the weather like in Monticello?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 18.1 inches of snow.
Does Monticello get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monticello since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 20, 1976. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)